Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sandakan, Sabah Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sandakan, Sabah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $838 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,292 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,747 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 66% more expensive than in Sandakan, Sabah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Sandakan, Sabah is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.6K

$2.40 MYR 9.82

48.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 584.4K

$18.83 MYR 77.0

71.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.5K

$4.63 MYR 18.91

8.21%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.1K

$2.59 MYR 10.57

8.88%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.68 MYR 2.78

98.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.23 MYR 0.94

217.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$2.40 MYR 9.80

22.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.2K

$3.45 MYR 14.10

14.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

$1.66 MYR 6.79

7.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.3K

$1.20 MYR 4.89

104.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.8K

$1.14 MYR 4.68

0.88%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.7K

$2.76 MYR 11.26

-12.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 259.1K

$15.33 MYR 62.6

-6.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.7K

$3.43 MYR 14.01

22.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 218.1K

$7.16 MYR 29.24

68.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.8K

$2.56 MYR 10.46

42.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.18 MYR 4.83

33.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.4K

$3.23 MYR 13.21

-13.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.98 MYR 8.09

13.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.8K

$1.19 MYR 4.86

66.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.2K

$1.34 MYR 5.46

70.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.1K

$1.12 MYR 4.57

-6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.47 MYR 1.92

68.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.7K

$4.16 MYR 17.02

-23.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.8K

$17.39 MYR 71.1

35.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.4K

$1.91 MYR 7.82

51.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.8K

$1.68 MYR 6.86

64.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,821

$0.68 MYR 2.78

-60.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.3K

$12.00 MYR 49.04

-30.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,180

$1.15 MYR 4.71

-60.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,311

$1.03 MYR 4.23

-55.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.7K

$6.04 MYR 24.69

0.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$0.50 MYR 2.05

72.00%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.6K Rp 480.7M

$29.9K MYR 122.1K

-11.03%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.5K Rp 588.6M

$28.1K MYR 114.7K

15.95%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$46.63 MYR 191

69.46%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$4.09 Rp 74.0K

$3.50 MYR 14.29

16.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 431.2K

$23.79 MYR 97.2

0.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$36.28 MYR 148

172.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.9K

$6.00 MYR 24.53

5.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.5K

$2.87 MYR 11.75

39.72%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$297 Rp 5.4M

$94.8 MYR 388

213.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.4M

$4,390 MYR 17.9K

50.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 966.0K

$59.3 MYR 242

-9.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 689.2K

$22.95 MYR 93.8

66.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$71.8 MYR 293

23.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$95.8 MYR 392

-20.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$391 MYR 1,598

160.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$267 MYR 1,092

154.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.7M

$652 MYR 2,664

432.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.8M

$479 MYR 1,958

336.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$1,998 MYR 8,166

36.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.5M

$995 MYR 4,065

130.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$1,215 MYR 4,965

-86.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

342.67%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $391 in Sandakan, Sabah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sandakan, Sabah pays 642% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $19.00 in Sandakan, Sabah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $236 per month, with Sandakan, Sabah cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ubud, Bali vs Sandakan, Sabah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Sandakan, Sabah differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($1,392 vs $838 including rent). Sandakan, Sabah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 642% lower in Sandakan, Sabah. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $391 in Sandakan, Sabah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sandakan, Sabah runs roughly 43% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $94.8 in Sandakan, Sabah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $838 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sandakan, Sabah but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Sandakan, Sabah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Sandakan, Sabah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sandakan, Sabah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.